vi THE TIGER 109 



The progress of science in the improvement of steam navigation 

 has had a wonderful effect throughout the world during the past half 

 century, and it is interesting to watch the development resulting 

 from the increased facilities of steam traffic upon the Brahmaputra. 

 Although a residence upon the islands is accompanied by extreme 

 risk during the period of inundations, there are many villages 

 established where formerly the tigers held undisturbed possession ; 

 and the rich alluvial soil is made to produce abundance, including 

 large quantities of jute, which is transported by the steamers to 

 Calcutta. The danger of an unexpected rise in the river is always 

 provided for, and every village possesses two or more large boats, 

 which are carefully protected from the sun by a roof of mats or 

 thatch, to be in readiness for any sudden emergency. 



When the natives first established themselves upon the islands 

 and along the dangerous banks of the Brahmaputra, they suffered 

 greatly from the depredations of the numerous tigers, and in self- 

 defence they organised a system by which each village paid a sub- 

 scription towards the employment of professional shikaris. These 

 men soon reduced the numbers of the common enemy, by setting 

 clever traps, with bows and arrows, the latter having a broad 

 barbed head, precisely resembling the broad-arrow that is well 

 known as the Government mark throughout Great Britain. The 

 destruction of tigers was so great in a few years that the Lieut. - 

 Governor of Bengal found it necessary to reduce the reward from 

 fifty rupees to twenty-five, and tiger-skins were periodically sold by 

 auction at the Dhubri Kutcherry at from eight annas to one rupee 

 each. 



In this manner the development of agricultural industry brought 

 into value the fertile soil, which had hitherto been neglected, and 

 the wild beasts were the first to suffer, and eventually to disappear 

 from the scene ; precisely as indolent savage races must vanish 

 before the inevitable advance ot civilisation, and their neglected 

 countries will be absorbed in the progressive extension of colonial 

 enterprise. 



I believe there are very few tigers to be found at the present 

 time in the islands or " churs " of the Brahmaputra, and although 

 I never had the good fortune to know the country when it was 

 described to me as " crawling " with these animals, I look back 

 with some pleasure to my visit in 1885, when through the kindness 

 of Mr. G. P. Sanderson, the superintendent of the keddahs, I was 

 supplied with the necessary elephants. 



The Rajah of Moochtagacha, Soochikhan (or Suchi Khan), had 

 started from Mymensing with thirty-five elephants, and he kindly 



